Seaply's Christening at Middle Harbour Yacht Club - September 1978.

Seaply was a Paul Whiting 1/4 Ton Yacht.

Later called "Seaflyer" because of Rule 26.

Crew:

Hugh Trehane (Skipper)

John Stanley

Mike Sharp

Jamie Wilmot (James Wilmot)

  Japan - January 1979

From RB Sailing Website www.rbsailing.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/quarter-ton-cup-1978.html

New Zealand had a design connection to the third placed boat, the Whiting-designed Australian entry Seaflyer, which finished with results of 5/7/2/1/3. Seaflyer was a development of Magic Bus, and of specially designed offset construction plywood and had a centreboard. Potentially Seaflyer was the fastest in the fleet, but a lack of tuning time probably cost the Australians the win. The boat had also been designed for optimum performance in light to moderate winds and flat seas. Unfortunately it blew hard for four of the five races, with vicious sea conditions common throughout, churned up by a combination of wind and racing tidal currents. 

As it was, Seaflyer lost the series by a mere two placings in the final 210 mile race - strong winds and high seas in the last half of the race proved too much for the lightweight centreboarder and she wasn't able to hold off the determined challenge from the two top Japanese yachts. 

Knowing they had to finish two places ahead of Magician V in the final race, Hugh Treharne and his crew drove Seaflyer to the limit, capsizing twice as they sought the achieve an overall victory. 

Her first capsize came midway through the race, the result of a wild broach under spinnaker. The second was at night while sailing upwind - a rearing wave knocked the boat into an involuntary tack, while the crew were still stacked on the weather rail. 

The Australians recovered from that more frightening episode to finish behind Kamikaze Express and Magician V (profile plan, left) to take out second overall.

Australian Representative in the Quarter Ton Worlds sparked a controversy when a protest forced her to change her name, adding confusion to the alreadymessy Rule 26 situation. Picture by Peter Campell.

Seaflyer capsized twice during the final race in the Quarter Ton Worlds "but in both cases came through without damage to boat or crew. The first capsize came when the yacht broached under spinnaker as skipper Hugh Treharne tried to steer the boat down the back of a wall-like wave. The plywood centreboarder came up quickly without damage.

The second capsize was on the wind, less than five miles from the finish of the final and deciding race. Knowing they had to finish two places ahead of.Magician V, Treharne and his crew drove Seaflyer to the limit. In the darkness, with Jamie Wilmot at the helm, a rearing wave knocked the boat into an involuntary tack, with Hugh Treharne, John Stanley and Mike Sharpe all out on the windward rail.

Because they didn't have lifelines clipped on, they were able to quickly climb up to the other side of the boat as the mast tip dipped below water. John Stanley was actually standing out on the centreboard, but Seaflyer quickly righted herself as soon as the runners and sheets were released.

Soaking wet from the capslze, the Australians crossed the line in third place in that final race, less than 35 minutes behind the winner Kamikaze Express and only 10 minutes astern of Magician V, the ultimate winner of the 1978 Quarter Ton Cup. Those two vital placings in the fifth and final race cost Seaflyer the championship."